Ancient Warfare
by TheGreatDrunkMonkey
Summary: Settling on Earth has been uneasy for the survivors of the AnatoryDissith war, as two new nations have declared war on the new AnatorayDissith union. The crew of the Adorned Sparrow is about to encounter an enemy unlike any before.


Captain Marcus was standing on the bridge of his ship, the _Adorned Sparrow_, gazing out the multitude of windows in front of him. The _Adorned Sparrow_ is one of Anatoray's most powerful ships, though Marcus considered it a waste since the end of the war with the Dissith and the destruction of the Guild. The high command, comprised of both Dissith and Anatoray officers, had recently discovered two other nations, that of Karakath and Lucia, so patrols of Anatoray's boarders were to continue. He was about to sit down when a private came running onto the bridge.

"Something I can help you with, son?" Marcus asked.

"Sir," the private began, "the crow's nest has detected two unidentified aircraft."

"Very well, I'll go to talk with them," the Captain replied.

Captain Marcus followed the private up to the crow's nest. Everyone there snapped to attention. Marcus returned the gesture.

"So, what is it? Attack vessels or Vanships?" Marcus inquired.

"Well, when we first spotted them we thought they were Vanships of some sort by the way they were moving, but they don't sound like Vanships at all," the Sonar operator informed him.

"So what are they then?"

"We don't know, we're still working on that."

"Captain, the craft are in visual range, if you want to look at them. Perhaps you might know what they are," one of the visual officers suggested, handing Marcus a pair of binoculars.

"What am I looking for?"

"That," the officer stated, pointing at what looked like two flies in the distance.

Indeed, these things did not appear to be Vanships, as they looked quite a bit larger. One was following the other, and the lead craft banked on its side, displaying its top towards the crow's nest. The front end was thin and tapered towards the front, but behind the forward section, the craft got wider and resembled a triangle. A duet of two small, thin triangular projections stuck vertically out of the rear portion. Marcus could see several markings and decals on its surface, but couldn't tell what any of them meant or represented.

"What are they?" Marcus blurted aloud to no one in particular.

"Again, we aren't sure. They've been flying around near the stern of the ship for about fifteen minutes now."

"You said that they don't sound like Vanships?"

"No, Sir. Vanships generate very distinct noises, even the Guild ones."

"What do they sound like then?"

"Nothing I've ever heard before. Whenever they approach, I hear a high pitched whining sound, and as they pass it becomes a low thundering warble."

"Sir!" one of the officers shouted. "They're approaching! Possible attack!"

Marcus immediately started issuing orders. He told all attack Vanships to scramble and get ready to engage, as well as all anti-ship defenses to prepare to open fire. He then ordered anyone with a camera to begin taking footage of these things. If they were a threat from a foreign nation, the high command would need to know as soon as possible.

Indeed, one was coming towards them, at high speed. Marcus felt uneasy. He could see the thing racing towards him, but he couldn't hear it. Did it just turn off its engine? If so, how is it possible that it's still flying at such a high velocity? The entire crow's nest went silent as it approached.

The craft zoomed past and a split second later, an ear-splitting booming sound followed. Almost all the windows of the crow's nest shattered. The thing had come nearly within a hundred feet of the _Adorned Sparrow's_ starboard side.

"All Vanships engage! Engage!" Marcus shouted at the top of his lungs.

He watched as a squadron of six Vanships raced in pursuit of the intruder. The squat dogfighters tried to catch up with the alien craft, but just couldn't. It was simply too fast. Even with their airguns blazing, the Vanship pilots couldn't score a bruise on the skin of this thing. The second ship, which had disappeared from view, suddenly popped up from a lower cloud layer and joined the leader, trailing behind it by several hundred yards. Almost in unison, they banked towards the underside of the _Adorned Sparrow's_ bow and dove out of view. All the crew could see were the twin trails of smoke left behind by the mystery ships.

"Keel observation post," Captain Marcus spoke into the communication tube, "do you see the foreign ships?"

"Negative, Captain," a voice responded.

The Captain stared out the broken windows of the nest, his mind wandering, wondering what he should do. Normal protocols didn't fit this situation at all, he had never experienced any such encounter before and he was doubtful any Anatoray naval officer had either. He stood there for several minutes, with one hand on his chin and his brow furrowed. An ensign broke the silence.

"Captain, Sir, what are your orders?"

Marcus contemplated some decisions for a few seconds before answering, "Have a recon group follow those smoke trails and find where those craft came from. Have all the footage taken of them gathered and dropped in my private quarters. I'll have to report this to the high command."

"Yes Sir," the ensign replied. He saluted, turned on his heel, and marched off the deck to carry out his given orders. Captain Marcus found a chair behind him and slumped into it. He watched a squadron of three Vanships fly past the windows and disappear out of sight as they followed the white smoke trails left by the other craft. Marcus took off his Captain's hat and let his head tilt back against the ragged cushion of the chair. While the _Adorned Sparrow'_s crew again became active after the shock it had just experienced, all the Captain did was close his eyes and wondered. What the Hell were those things?


End file.
